No challenge too great for Central High School field hockey goalie Freddy Bruce

The Republican photo by Dave RobackCentral High School field hockey goalie Freddy Bruce, shown during a recent practice, has faced and overcome many challenges during his lifetime.SPRINGFIELD – For the most part, Central High School field hockey goalie Freddy Bruce happily goes about his business and feels he leads a normal life.
But there’s nothing normal about being born with a dangerous health condition; nothing normal about multiple surgeries as an infant; and nothing normal about living with a tube from the brain to the stomach
Much to Bruce’s credit, he doesn’t even think about his past or present medical situation.
“It’s the farthest thing from my mind,” said the 17-year-old from Springfield.

“He pretty much always has a good day. He’s always positive, and even on a bad day he’ll always have a smile and raise the team’s spirits up. He’s a good teammate.̶”

-Central teammate Brandon Jenkins

Bruce was born 3 months premature. He weighed just 2 pounds, which is significantly less than the average 7-8 pounds of a newborn. He had health issues from the onset, including heart surgery when he was just a few weeks old.
But Bruce needed more medical attention. Doctors discovered Bruce had hydrocephalus, which is excess water in the brain. If not removed, the water can put too much pressure on the tissues of the brain.
Bruce, as an infant, needed a second dicey surgery. Doctors successfully placed a shunt in Bruce’s body, with the one-way tube displacing the excess water from the brain, through the neck, and into his stomach.
As a child, Bruce didn’t have any other major health issues. But there was a problem: he couldn’t play organized sports. He didn’t like that situation, but he and his family followed the doctor’s orders.
Upon entering Central, Bruce received good news: He could finally play organized sports.
“I was happy when I was cleared,” he said.
After joining the wrestling team as a freshman, Bruce and longtime friend Brandon Jenkins decided to try out for the field hockey team.
“(Brandon) told me about it and I wanted to try something new, so I wanted to give it a shot,” Bruce said.
And Bruce has enjoyed every minute of his three-year career as the Golden Eagles’ starting goalie. Even though the team has struggled recordwise, Bruce and his teammate pride themselves in being a part of a closely-knit and supportive team.
“I like the team spirit,” Bruce said. “We might not win all of our games, but we’re really tight.”
“He’s a great goalie,” said Jenkins, also a senior. “He stops a lot of shots. He’s always on the ball. He pretty much always has a good day. He’s always positive, and even on a bad day he’ll always have a smile and raise the team’s spirits up. He’s a good teammate.”
Central coach Jayla Wajte has coached Bruce all three seasons. She also has him as a student in her psychology class. Wajte said Bruce is “fun and silly, but he’s never too much.”
“He has great manners. He always pitches in, which with teenagers is hard to do sometimes. The fact he does that without being asked it really good. He’s polite and does what he has to do. He never complains – ever. He’s always happy.”
Bill Wells can be reached
at wellsb6@charter.net